Walk Into Mordor
by Dwimordene
Summary: The Ring-bearer shall to Mordor, where the shadows lie. And Boromir shall go with him. An AU drabble series.
1. Chapter 1

" **For awhile, he was as still as if his own curse had struck him down; then suddenly, he wept."**

"What have I done? Frodo, Frodo!"

And Frodo, invisible, shrinking against a tree-bole, hears repentance, and finds… he cannot run.

The Ring gives power according to its bearer, and insight grown sharper sees: Gondor burning, and the heart of the man crying out in agony, its love the author of its divisions.

The Ring's call had cut that tie, hair-fine and finer, that had bound treacherous despair.

There's a knot now, where that cord lies.

Boromir shivers, feeling an unseen the hand upon his head, lifts his eyes.

"Rise," Frodo tells him, slipping the Ring from his finger. "Help me!"

* * *

 **Notes:**

"For awhile, he was as still as if his own curse had struck him down; then suddenly, he wept. …

"What have I done? Frodo, Frodo!"… - Boromir, "The Breaking of the Fellowship," FOTR.

Written for the Tolkien Weekly "Cut" challenge: prompt: to cut hair.


	2. Emyn Muil

**Emyn Muil**

They cross the river swiftly, and flee into Emyn Muil, where rock-walls and throttling fingers test them. Boromir proves equal to both.

After that, they pause to rest… and to divest.

Frodo hasn't much, but Boromir discards shield, silver collar, mail. "Useless weight," he says. The horn of Gondor he holds a moment, then sounds it – once and clear.

Then he sets it aside.

"Why?" Frodo asks.

"A thief cuts all ties of inheritance."

"You neither touched nor took," says Frodo.

"I _tried_ ," comes brutal judgment. "Now, I am but a man – at need, you have a chance against me."

* * *

For Tolkien Weekly "Cut" challenge: prompt: to cut ties.


	3. The Black Gate Is Closed

" **The Black Gate Is Closed"**

So Boromir says: "I have seen it – 'tis impassable."

"How to enter then?"

"There's another way..."

Through battle between the two towers' servants he cuts a path. An arrow pierces his arm, though, as they flee southeast.

"Let me!" Frodo exclaims, when Boromir cuts the shaft free himself.

Boromir, white-faced, winding bandages, says tersely: "Best I keep my hands occupied!"

~0~

That night, fever dreams lay him bare: _I've repented!_ _Leave me be!_ he pleads. Then, hard-voiced: _For Gondor, Boromir...!_

"I'm well," he insists come morning. "We must go."

"Lead on," Frodo says, but the Ring weighs on its chain…

* * *

 **For the Tolkien Weekly "Cut" challenge: prompts: to cut a path/to cut yourself.**

 **"The Black Gate Is Closed" - title of same chapter in TTT.**


	4. The Stair of Cirith Ungol

**The Stair of Cirith Ungol**

From Ithilien's green shade they come to a more fearful shadow – the Morgul tower, and the winding stair.

"You never mentioned this in Rivendell," Frodo pants, for heavy hangs the Ring.

Pain-pale, Boromir answers: "I never thought we should come so far."

The stair is steep. They grope on hands and knees sometimes, pulling themselves up this path cut through stone. Blood seeps through the bandages about Boromir's arm.

He may be all right, or he may not, Frodo thinks.

Mayhap Boromir senses his doubt.

"There's no other way," he insists before the cave.

"I know," Frodo says, and follows.

For the Tolkien Weekly "Cut" challenge: prompt: to cut a path


	5. Shelob's Lair

**Shelob's Lair**

Death-scent hovers close; _something_ moves in the gaps in the walls.

Too late, Frodo learns the truth of dread-laden rumor.

Shelob rushes them, spewing a foul darkness like a vapor. Frodo gags, can see nothing, fumbles the phial and thrusts his arm in darkness's face. Besides him, Boromir gives a wordless, hard-voiced cry.

A clangor, like swords scraping – and a terrible, gurgling shriek rises. Great legs scramble, and razor-wire hairs cut across his cheek.

Clutching the Ring, which burns with warning – and desire – Frodo staggers away, the phial thrust blindly before him.

"Boromir?" he calls.

But there is no answer.

For the Tolkien Weekly "Cut" challenge: prompt: to cut hair. Slight cheat: this time, the hair does the cutting.


	6. Crossroads Above the Tower

**Crossroads Above the Tower**

Down through the pass above Cirith Ungol staggers Frodo, alone and groping. He cannot see. There is an unlight in his eyes.

Into his mind the thought comes: _Only put on the Ring, and all that is invisible shall be laid bare to thee_...

A heavy tread raises sudden fear.

"Frodo?"

"Boromir?"

Dimly, he sees the man's shape as Boromir falls to his knees, vomits abjectly. His outstretched hand grabs Frodo's wrist – in which fist he clutches the Ring.

" _Back!_ "

Boromir stays on all fours, panting – so miserable a figure, it cuts through Ring-lust like shears through paper.

"What's happened?"

For the Tolkien Weekly "Cut" challenge: prompt: to cut paper


	7. Choices

**Choices**

He'd rammed his sword down the beast's throat. Her bite had caught him, her venom entered his blood.

Sickened, he manages a few steps ere he stops, doubled-over.

"I can't," he gasps.

"You must!"

Boromir pleads: "If you'd lend me strength…" In the unlit shadow-shapes world, Frodo cannot see his face, but hears his fear, that temptation twists. "Only for awhile – just a little while..."

The Ring's grown craftier; so Frodo cuts himself off from pity – to save them both.

"Then shall you end 'Boromir the betrayer'?"

Silence.

"Then you crawl, and I'll grope, but we trust our own strength!"

For the Tolkien Weekly "Cut" challenge: to cut yourself.


	8. The Land of Shadows

**The Land of Shadow**

All day they labor, the blind shouldering the sick, but they manage, and sit finally, backs to the cliff, panting and exhausted.

"'Tis so heavy," Frodo groans. "I can't carry the load!"

Boromir says nothing, but one-handed, he opens their packs, methodically casts aside clothes, blankets. Food. 'Til his captain's eye has pared to the bone: _lembas_ , water, and weaponry.

"Go," he tells Frodo.

"You've come this far for Gondor – and I need your eyes!"

Boromir sighs, lays Frodo's hand upon Sting's hilt.

"I cannot see to use it."

"Sighted or sightless, you need it. Now cling to my back..."

* * *

For the Tolkien Weekly "Cut" challenge: prompt: to cut food.


	9. Across the Plain of Gorgororth

**Across the Plain of Gorgoroth**

Ash-laden Gorgoroth stretches to Mt. Doom.

Ten days they struggle through ditches, Lorien-cloaks shielding them.

Hunger wounds: they cut meals to a dawn mouthful of _lembas_ and water. As Shelob's poison passes, the Ring's burden doubles.

"I see its gold-fire even in waking life," Frodo gasps, as they lie exhausted beneath Mt. Doom.

"I know."

"You do?"

Silence, then: "I see it, too." Paper-thin, the world between them and the Ring. Any longing may shred it – draw the Eye.

Sting lies child and heavy beneath Frodo's hand. "Who wins the argument when you dream?"

More silence. Finally: "I don't know."

For the Tolkien Weekly "Cut" challenge: prompt: to cut ties.


	10. Mt Doom

**Mt. Doom**

The mountain smokes; it rains embers upon them, so that they walk a path of fire.

They have left hope behind them, with every earthly tie – save the memory grown vague of the lands they have loved.

Before them, hope and folly meet upon the Cracks of Doom.

Frodo weighs the Ring in his hand, that had seemed so fair in autumn in Bag End….

"Frodo?" Boromir's voice, hoarse and frayed, shouting over the sulfur winds, pierces paralysis. "Frodo!"

There is a wheel of fire before his eyes. He manages a step towards the edge, then another, but…

He can't.

* * *

For the Tolkien Weekly "Cut" challenge: to cut ties.


	11. Upon the Edge of Doom

**Upon the Edge of Doom**

But ere he can speak, even as his hand starts to lower, Boromir grabs his arm, rips the Ring from his grasp.

Outrage cries out from that captive part of Frodo's soul, twisting his face in a snarl _: "It's_ _ **mine!"**_

A moment, their eyes meet. Boromir snarls likewise, holds the Ring out of Frodo's reach, his other hand holds Frodo at arm's length.

Desperation and other memory move Frodo, then, and Boromir gasps, as blood spatters Frodo's face. The man drops to his knees…

… and the Ring slips from his grip, rings once upon the stone, and is gone.

* * *

For the Tolkien Weekly "Cut" Challenge: prompts: to cut ties/to cut yourself


	12. At the End of All Things

**At the End of All Things**

"I never meant to," Frodo begins, but Boromir cuts him off.

"I told you to keep Sting. You did what was needed."

Exhausted absolution. Frodo tries staunching the wound, but Boromir refuses: "'Tis useless." He gestures shakily towards the doorway: "Go!"

But some ties will not be cut. Frodo refuses: "We came together – and so we'll end."

They prop themselves against a rock, heat swelling behind them.

"Few, I guess, have won such a victory," Frodo says after awhile. "Let's go in peace!"

Boromir smiles slightly, shuts his eyes...

 _And so ended the reign of Sauron, Lord of the Rings_.

For the Tolkien Weekly "Cut" challenge: prompt: to cut ties.

" _At the end of all things"_ : "'I am glad you are here with me,' said Frodo. 'Here at the end of all things, Sam.'" - RoTK, "The Field of Cormallen."

" _Few, I guess, have won such a victory… Let's go in peace!_ " - "'No!' said Aragorn, taking his hand and kissing his brow. 'You have conquered. Few have gained such a victory. Be at peace!...'" - FOTR, "The Departure of Boromir."


End file.
